


Willful Obedience

by GothAlbinoAngel



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BDSM, Dom/sub, F/F, Heavy BDSM, Light Angst, Platonic BDSM
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:28:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21867535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothAlbinoAngel/pseuds/GothAlbinoAngel
Summary: After her mother's death, Regina has time to think. To think about her mother, about Rumpelstiltskin, and about herself. And all of this leads her to the same conclusion.She needs a puppetmaster.But it can't be just anyone in Storybrooke. No, not with 99% of the population hating her guts and those disgusting Charmings monopolizing her son. Regina turns to the only logical option.A diner waitress with a penchant for red and some interesting full moon habits.Dom!Ruby, sub!Regina, both platonic and sexual BDSM
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Red Riding Hood | Ruby
Comments: 45
Kudos: 158





	1. The Invitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina invites Ruby to her house for dinner. In front of the entire diner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know where this came from, but here it is! Just to be clear, this takes place after Snow killed Cora and diverges from there. Anything with Neverland, Peter Pan, and onward doesn't happen. Neal IS here, though. Just... cause I want him to be.

Storybrooke had calmed since the devastation of Cora's presence. The mother-daughter duo she created with Regina was certainly something to be feared, but with the news of her death and the passing of Regina's subsequent rampage, the town could finally settle down again. Disgusted looks were thrown in Regina's direction whenever the former queen strode by, but she simply returned them with a raised chin and a glare. None but Snow White and her perfect little family dared to challenge the look, so most left the woman alone.

The townspeople accepted their new lives in Storybrooke despite their Enchanted Forest memories returning to them. Snow had taken over as mayor because David was struggling with the position; his background as a peasant-turned-royal tended to show when looking over the paperwork. Despite being better equipped for the position because of her status, Snow also struggled with the way things were done in this new world, where she needed to adhere to a council rather than simply ruling over things.

Many of the citizens took at least a few minutes out of their day to complain about being in a place so different than the Forest, most often whenever Regina was within earshot, not that the former queen paid them any mind. She knew that they enjoyed the more luxurious lives they held here, but were too prideful to admit it. And even if she did care about what they were saying, more often than not, she was lost in her own thoughts to really pay attention.

In the beginning, after her mother's death, Regina had lamented the fact that the Charmings were now keeping Henry as far from her as possible. She knew that part of that had to do with her son's want to be away from her now that she had broken her promise of not using magic, but it simply eased the pain to blame Snow and her family. Even weeks after the ordeal, Regina still held onto the hope that Henry would come around and ask to visit her with the intention of reconnecting.

However, after a few weeks, her thoughts faded to something else. There had been a bit of introspection that had nagged at her ever since her mother came to her that day in the mausoleum. It was that introspection that Regina pondered over every day. It took up so much of her thoughts that she downright ignored everything else in the vicinity.

Every day, Regina sat in the diner and stared at the wall opposite her as she stirred her coffee. Today was no different. The thin wooden stick she was using had long since become soft in the hot liquid, but the former queen paid that no mind. Her glazed eyes gave no indication of her thoughts as she simply continued the mechanical movement. All of the dirty looks thrown in her direction went completely ignored.

The former mayor had been doing this every day for the past week. She would come in, order her coffee, and proceed to stare at the wall for hours on end until it was nearly closing time. Most of the patrons had gotten used to it, realizing that their whispers were going without acknowledgement, never mind reprimand. All of them were content to leave her as she was.

Ruby and Granny often shot the silent woman looks before glancing at one another. The first day it had happened, Ruby had gone over to ask if Regina needed anything else. She had received a long stare in response before Regina had blinked and told the waitress that she was fine. Ruby had retreated quickly, shaking her head at her grandmother.

After that, they just watched her from afar. Regina never bothered anyone and the diner didn't get packed enough for her to have to move, so there was no reason to kick her out. She always paid for her drink at the end of the day as well, regardless of whether or not she had drank any of it, which was usually a not. She was always too lost in her own thoughts to really bother with food or anything else.

Today, though, Regina took a sip from her coffee, not even registering that it was cold. It had been a long week and today was shaping up to be just as hard at the diner as any other day. It would be the perfect time to put her plan into motion, all she needed to do was take the first step. It would be a difficult one, but Regina had faced plenty of difficult scenarios in her existence, so this shouldn't be too hard. Still, she had to steel herself for it and therefore took a chunk of the day just building her confidence.

Finally, Regina stood. It was a little passed noon, which gave her plenty of time to prepare if her offer was accepted. Striding to the counter, the former queen waited until she caught Ruby's attention. Hesitantly, the red-clad waitress strolled over, expression guarded as she asked, "What can I do for you, Regina?"

Regina surveyed the younger woman for a moment before replying, "Miss Lucas, would you care to join me for dinner tonight?"

This caught everyone within hearing distance off guard. Ruby received dinner invitations almost hourly, so the request itself wasn't anything new. The person it had come from was the surprising part. Regina was not known for asking anyone on a date, so the entire diner stopped to stare at the former mayor.

"I'm… I… Excuse me?" Ruby floundered for something to say in response. It wasn't every day the former Evil Queen and resident badass of Storybrooke asked you on a date.

"I would like to make dinner for you tonight," Regina repeated, not thrown off in the slightest by Ruby's shock. "There's something important I would like to discuss with you that I would rather do in private."

"Um… okay, then?" Ruby cleared her throat before nodding. "Yeah, I'll be by your place as soon as my shift ends at seven."

Regina spared her a small smile. "That's perfect timing, dear. I'll see you tonight." With that, the imposing woman strode out of the diner.

Ruby was about to call that she hadn't paid before spotting the bill on the counter. Sighing at the hundred dollar bill, she entered it into the register before continuing with her shift. This day had just gotten so much more exciting and Ruby was curious to know what Regina had planned. If she had taken the time to tell her in front of the entire diner, then it couldn't have been anything bad. Regina wasn't sloppy; she knew how to cover her tracks well.

That meant that intimidating woman actually wanted to have dinner with her, a notion that sent a thrill down Ruby's spine. She had tasted Regina's food before and knew that she had skills to rival Granny, but an entire meal created for the two of them to share? That was something Ruby could have only ever dreamed of.

Ignoring the side glance she received from Granny, Ruby went about her day. The excitement of her dinner with Regina couldn't be dampened now, even as she heard the townspeople speculating over what it could mean. Their theories were way too bizarre anyway, so Ruby focused on her job so the day could move just a little faster.

**_…_ **

Placing another dish on the table, Regina breathed out heavily. She hadn't made a large dinner, just something to sate her houseguest, should she actually show up. Regina had settled on a large steak for them to share with sides of mashed potatoes, green beans and corn, and a glass of wine each. Hopefully, Ruby enjoyed it enough to give her the benefit of the doubt about what Regina wanted to talk about.

As she was pondering what type of wine to serve, Regina heard a knock at the door. Deciding that any of them would do, the former queen set one of the bottles on the table with the food and quickly poured two glasses half full. Ruby would ask if she wanted more, but for decorum's sake, half a glass would do.

With the wine poured, Regina wiped her hands on her apron before removing the garment and laying it over the counter. Striding to the door, she opened it to find Ruby standing patiently on her porch. Grinning, the werewolf stepped forward and Regina moved to the side to let her in. Unable to mask her surprise, Regina murmured, "You came. Alone?"

Ruby paused, hearing the uncertainty in the older woman's voice. It was clear that Regina hadn't expected her to come, especially without backup. Considering the state of the town, Ruby shouldn't have been surprised by the former queen's reaction, but it still hurt her a little that Regina couldn't even issue a simple invitation without someone suspecting her of something nefarious. The suspicion wasn't entirely unwarranted, but Ruby just wanted the drama to stop.

"Yeah," the red-clad woman responded, turning to her hostess nonchalantly. "The invitation seemed like a one-person thing, so I figured you wanted to speak with me only. I could have brought Granny if that's what you wanted-."

"Ah, I'm rather glad you didn't," Regina interjected quickly, a slight flush rising to her cheeks. "The conversation I want to have with you after dinner is rather personal. I would simply feel awkward with your grandmother in the room."

If Ruby needed any more proof that this wasn't some new evil plot, that would be the final part. Regina was more embarrassed than anything else at the thought of Granny being present. She wasn't hiding anything horrible, so Ruby immediately relaxed. "Yeah, Granny and personal discussions don't mix too well, trust me. I know cursed me has a memory of her trying to give me the Talk and it was just terrible."

Regina's face pinched slightly at the mention of the Dark Curse and Ruby knew what was coming next. "Yes, well, my apologies for… anything you endured during the curse."

"Don't be," Ruby told her seriously. "You gave me a twenty-eight-year reprieve from the horrific memory of eating my first love. The curse was a short break from all the guilt and self-loathing that came along with all the people I killed fighting alongside Snow."

Regina stared at her in bafflement, clearly not expecting that response. "You're… not angry about the curse?" she asked slowly, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Ruby chuckled and gave her a wry smile, explaining, "While most people here are content acting as if the lives they live here are some horrific offense to them, I was perfectly okay being nothing more than the flirty waitress that got smashed every Friday and argued with her grandmother every other morning. I'm… not like the others, Regina. I didn't just brush off the terrible things I did back home. I carried them with me there and, now that I have my memories back, I carry them here too."

There was a small moment of silence in which Ruby watched Regina's face. The best way to tell any of what the unreadable woman was thinking was to watch the subtle changes in her expression. And from the way Regina's eyebrows pulled together just so and her lips pursed into a thin line, Ruby knew that Regina hadn't ever expected anyone to be thankful for her curse. Hell, she probably didn't even expect anyone from the 'good' side to own up to the things they've done to combat her.

Taking a deep breath, Ruby decided to dissolve the tension the only way she knew how. "Alright, I think that's enough emotion before dinner. I smell something succulent and I am _dying_ to sink my teeth into whatever you've got cooked up for me."

A small smile twitched on Regina's lips at the comment and she lifted her head. "Right. Come this way, Dinner is all set on the table."

Ruby grinned and mentally patted herself on the back, dutifully following Regina to the dining room to find a fair amount of food laid out before them. "This looks fantastic!" Ruby breathed. Her saliva glands were in overdrive at the sight and smell of the steak lying in the middle of the table. The tang of the seasonings called to her stomach and made Ruby painfully aware of the fact that she hadn't had lunch.

"It's nothing special," Regina told her calmly. "It's just you and me, so not too much food."

Ruby bit her lip, knowing her next question would hit a little too close for the other woman. "So, Henry's not staying over?" As expected, Regina stiffened and the flash of hurt across her features was quickly masked by an air of indifference, but Ruby could still smell the bitter hint of salt coming from her.

"No, he's… he's staying with Emma tonight… until further notice…" Regina trailed off and Ruby gave an almost forced chuckle, knowing she had to lighten the mood again.

"Poor kid doesn't know what he's missing out on," she chirped, laying her jacket over the back of her chair and taking a seat. "The smell of the food means it's good enough to rival Granny's cooking. Ah, don't tell her I said that; she might disown me."

Regina cracked a slight smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "My lips are sealed, though I'm thankful for the compliment. Your grandmother has certainly had more practice than I have, especially with twenty-eight years of nothing but cooking under her belt."

Content that the conversation had moved away from the painful discussion, Ruby immediately reached for the steak. Cutting a generous helping, she handed the dish across to Regina and moved on to the sides. "To be honest, I expected your table to be bigger," she stated conversationally.

"It was when we first got here," Regina responded with forced nonchalance, scooping mashed potatoes onto her plate. "But I shortened it once magic returned. It was… just me, so there was no reason for a large table."

Ruby inwardly cursed, realizing that skirting the topic of Henry would be harder than she thought. Clearing her throat, the werewolf murmured, "Well, it's certainly a lot cozier this way, I imagine. And it seems much less noisy than the diner." She shot Regina a smile and was relieved to get one in return.

Digging into her food, Ruby enjoyed the flavors dancing on her tongue. Regina really was a good cook. There was silence for a few minutes as they ate their food, Ruby throwing out a compliment every now and then. The waitress was surprised that the silence was so companionable; she had expected to feel awkward in the presence of someone that the majority of the town couldn't stand the existence of. But Regina was shockingly easy to eat with, even if she did so with the poise of her royal upbringing.

With her massive appetite, Ruby devoured a large portion of the food. Regina cocked her head at the disappearing dishes and smiled. "I'm glad my cooking is to your liking enough to eat more," she commented.

Ruby took a sip of her wine and replied, "It's _really_ good. I can't help but wonder what would happen if you and Granny ever got together to cook for the town."

A slight flush appeared on Regina's cheeks and Ruby congratulated herself. She was certain this was the most anyone had ever made such an imposing figure as Regina blush in such a short span of time. "Your grandmother has skills I couldn't dream of, Ruby," the former queen coughed slightly. "She's far beyond my level of experience."

"I don't know," Ruby murmured, mentally kicking herself for where she was about to go. "You're more alike than you think. You both single-handedly raised children who were given up at birth-" Regina's eye twitched and Ruby hurried on. "You both have wicked cooking skills and a presence about you that makes it difficult for anyone to argue with what you say. In all honesty, Granny could probably have gone toe-to-toe with the Evil Queen, you know, if crossbows and magic weren't a factor."

Regina nodded in agreement. "I… suppose you're correct in that respect. Even still, Granny has wisdom I could never hope to attain, not with who I am."

"You think Granny got the way she is by sunshine and rainbows?" Ruby snorted. "She's seen things, Regina. She's seen and done things too, and just like you and me, she doesn't just brush it aside as if it didn't happen."

Regina nodded, her lips pursing in that way that indicated she wasn't sure how to proceed. Ruby reached across and touched her hand. "Since I'm full and you seem to have finished, why don't we get down to business? You said you wanted to talk to me about something?"

"And what if I simply wanted company for dinner?" Regina asked. Ruby's ears picked up on the slightest of trembles in the steady voice and knew that part of Regina really did want someone to spend time with.

"Well, if that's the case, can I come by every night?" Ruby grinned at the small smile she received.

"Depending on your response to my proposal tonight, you may be able to," Regina chuckled.

Ruby's eyes widened comically and she gave a mock gasp. "Proposal? Oh man, Regina, I can't get married yet! Granny would have a heart attack."

Regina's lips twitched up at the corners, but she tried to hide it with a sigh. "Shall we adjourn to the sitting room before you die of pretend shock?"

Ruby nodded excitedly, grabbing her wine and following after her hostess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to drink more wine. It's not really to my taste, I prefer clear alcohol, but ya know, to each their own and whatnot. Hope you liked this start!


	2. The Proposition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina explains her proposition and reasoning to Ruby. Ruby is more than a little shocked, and equally as curious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience! Let's get the ball rollin'!

The sitting room was relatively spacious, but it had a cozy feeling to it with the fireplace burning and the furniture arranged in such a way that anyone would be facing the fire at any given moment. Regina gestured for Ruby to take a seat. The werewolf chose the sofa as the safe ground and indicated that Regina should sit with her. Sitting as primly as usual, the former queen turned to her guest and bit her lip.

Ruby could feel the nervous energy in the air and Regina's heart was beating faster than usual in her chest. Whatever the regal woman had to ask of her, it was very important. Ruby waited patiently, knowing pushing for details would make someone skittish like Regina close off before anything could be said.

Regina wasn't sure how to ask this, as she had never really done anything of this sort before. The willful surrendering of herself was something she often fought against. The only person to ever bring such a thing from her had been her mother and even then, she had fought Cora as much as she could. This experience would be something completely out of her element, but Regina knew she needed it.

"Miss Lucas, you're a pack leader, correct?"

The question clearly caught Ruby off guard, her green eyes widening in surprise. Not many expressed much interest in her wolf outside of its physical capabilities. Usually, she received questions about speed or strength and nothing more. Shifting slightly, the waitress murmured, "Yeah, uh mine's a pack leader. I was supposed to take over my mom's pack back in the Forest. Why do you ask?"

Regina took a deep breath. "Please understand that, in saying what I'm about to, I mean no disrespect to you or your wolf. This is a difficult subject for me to broach and I found you to be the most suitable candidate in this town for helping me achieve what I need."

Ruby's heart quickened its pace, intrigue coloring her expression as she waited for what the former Queen had to ask of her. It was very rare that Regina asked anyone for help, especially now that she no longer had mayoral duties to attend to. What could the woman before her have planned for so much free time?

"I need a master," Regina finally stated.

Ruby blinked. Staring at Regina, she blinked again. A ... Master? 

A sudden thrill streaked down Ruby's back at the implications of the question. It was certainly a topic she herself had thought about often in her lonelier moments, going out and hunting for any number of women in Storybrooke to build her own pack with. People who would understand the call of the wolf, someone to be waiting when she got home. Granny was great, but she wasn't a pack, even if Ruby wanted the wolf curse to die with her. The fact that the most unobtainable, strong-willed woman in the entire town wanted Ruby as her Master only strengthened Ruby's excitement. Regina Mills was placing herself in Ruby's hands and Ruby be damned if she allowed an opportunity like this to slip her by.

Regina watched the shock play on the waitress' features as Ruby simply stared at her. A few moments passed with no response and Regina began to worry that she had offended Ruby in some way. It certainly was a lot to take in, especially coming from her, and Ruby didn't even have a reason to agree. Regina was, after all, the one responsible for her being on the run for years. There wasn't even a reason for Ruby to hear the purpose of her wish.

Sighing in resignation, Regina decided to cut her losses. "Forgive me for upsetting you," she murmured. "I didn't mean to assume, Miss Lucas, but you are free to go if you're offended. I wouldn't dream of keeping you somewhere you're uncomfortable. Thank you for coming tonight."

Ruby blinked again as she registered the words. Regina was apologizing to her? The former queen thought that Ruby didn't want to do this. Cursing herself for letting the silence stretch too long, Ruby took a moment to taste the air. Regina's upset presented itself to her, but thankfully there was no anger within the scent. Sadness and resignation poured from the her in waves, even though she was trying to hide it. If Ruby didn't speak up now, she was going to lose her chance.

"No, no!" she exclaimed, startling Regina as she waved her hands emphatically. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give you the impression that I... was upset." Ruby cleared her throat awkwardly. "There were just so many questions in my mind."

The relief that hit Ruby's nostrils told her that she had made the right choice. Ignoring the oddly alluring aroma that was Regina's relief, Ruby listened as Regina cleared her throat.

Regina felt some of the tension seep from her muscles at the clarification. Ruby was allowing her a chance to explain herself before giving a verdict. Gathering herself, Regina decided to explain herself.

"Miss Lucas, as I'm sure you know, I am a woman of singular focus. The decisions that have driven me to do the things I have done were a product of thinking they were the only things I could do. I may seem intimidating to many, but I am a person ruled by fear, just as much as anyone else.

"I prefer to keep myself private not only because that is the way I was raised, but also because the last time I let someone in, it ended with a four year hunt for my stepdaughter culminating in cursing a large population of the Enchanted Forest and other areas into Storybrooke. I... don't let others close because I don't want to be hurt on that level again."

Ruby listened with rapt attention. She knew that, while the former mayor enjoyed talking, nothing she ever said was unnecessary unless using her infamous wit and sharp tongue. The fact that Regina was giving her a background was highly important and Ruby refused to miss a detail.

Regina felt her chest twist as she relayed bits of her past and inner thoughts to a woman she knew virtually nothing about. However, if she wanted to gain what she was asking for, the former Queen knew she needed to be honest. No relationship, including the one she was vying for, could be built on lies and mistrust.

"I have been used and manipulated my entire life. By my mother, Rumpelstiltskin, and even _Snow White_." Here, Regina's lip curled as she fought down the memory of her mother dying in her arms.

A snarl built up in Ruby's throat at the reference. She had been one of the people the Charmings had called when they found out Regina was out for Snow's blood. Jokingly, she had asked if Snow had gotten someone else Regina loved murdered, an effort to lighten the mood. David had become uncomfortable before disclosing what his wife had done.

Ruby had been understandably horrified. She had promised that she would keep a lookout for Regina, but once the situation blew over, Ruby began spending less time interacting with the family. Granny, of course, was the only one who noticed and, once Ruby divulged her reason, Granny had been enraged. The simple act alone could have gotten the entire town leveled, after all.

Regina brought her thoughts back. "While my mistakes are my own, those who guided me are not fault free. That being said, I recently came to the understanding that some part of me, at least subconsciously, also enjoyed that there were people guiding me, enjoyed that I was doing just as I was told." Biting her lip, Regina said softly, "It wasn't until Mother died that I realized I was only going along with her plan because I liked being controlled. I... enjoyed making my puppetmasters happy."

There was that word again. _Master_. It hung in the air between them for a moment before Ruby finally asked, "Why come to me, then? Why not go to Gold?"

"Do you really think it wise for me to return to the creature that made me the Evil Queen in the first place?" Regina countered.

Ruby nodded in understanding. "Fair point, but... still..."

Now, Ruby could definitely smell the unease in the air. Whatever Regina was about to say may be the most valuable piece of information she learned that night. Regina shifted in her seat, hoping that baring her soul wouldn't get her hurt for once.

"Miss Lucas, I chose you to come to because I believe you to be the most trustworthy person available." Ruby's eyes widened in shock. This woman was full of surprises tonight. "You don't hide behind a false sense of justice and you know far more than most in this town how judgmental the 'heroes' really are. Not only that, but you're one of the only people in this town who is neither stupid nor a coward and, quite frankly, I admire that.

"However, the main reason I chose you is because I know your wolf may need an outlet of some kind. As a leader without a pack, I imagine you may be a bit agitated. I presumed that, perhaps, I could be an outlet of sorts."

To say Ruby was stunned would be quite the understatement. It was clear that Regina had put a lot of thought into choosing Ruby to come to. Ruby's heart fluttered at the sentiment behind the reasoning. It couldn't be easy for Regina to trust, especially in a place where everyone hated her and preferred placing blame on her than owning up to their mistakes.

Along with that, with every person she comes into contact with, Regina must be terrified of them abusing their power over her and forcing her into situations she wasn't emotionally prepared for. Too many people in the town would see it as a chance to humiliate the Evil Queen for her past deeds, which was not at all the kind of relationship Regina was asking for.

In all rights and respects, Regina was putting herself into Ruby's hands to do with as she pleased.

Taking a breath, Ruby exhaled hard. "Okay. That sounds reasonable." Regina glanced to her, attempting to mask her hope. Ruby hurried to add an important part before Regina could get her hopes up. "You know there's some writing involved, right?"

Regina's lips fell into a frown. "Writing? What for?"

Ruby bit her lip a moment. "Do you have something to write on? I'll explain it."

Regina shrugged and stood, rummaging in the drawer on the side table. Ruby took that moment to appreciate, not for the first time, how attractive Regina was. Wide, shapely hips swaying with each movement and a toned stomach. Not to mention that _really_ nice ass she had swinging behind her and tantalizing Ruby with each step. Okay, maybe Ruby had more than one reason to be agreeing to this, but who could blame her?

Regina found a notepad and pen, handing them to Ruby before retaking her seat. Ruby nodded and decided to get the nitty gritty over with. "Alright," she began, looking at Regina seriously. "As you were mayor of the town for twenty-eight years, you'll understand better than anyone that arrangements need to be agreed upon for anything to get done." Regina nodded slowly.

"Well, in, ah, relationships like these, both parties need to understand the boundaries set." Ruby watched Regina, making sure she understood what was happening. "Since you came to me, you set the initial boundaries that we go off of."

The former queen stared at her in confusion. "What sorts of boundaries?"

"Anything, really," Ruby responded. "Maybe there's a name I shouldn't call you because it reminds you of bad memories, or maybe you're okay with being whipped but not spanked. Hell, even foods you do or don't like to eat. Anything you can think of right now."

Holding out the notepad, Ruby sat back to watch Regina. Instead of writing anything like Ruby thought she would, Regina pressed a finger to her head where a ball of light purple magic appeared. Breathing deeply, Regina closed her eyes and the ball grew larger. After a moment, she took the ball and tossed it at the notepad. The page glowed brightly for a few seconds and then dimmed. Regina handed the pad back to Ruby and the waitress' eyes widened to find the page filled with words.

"Wow," she breathed, reading over the list. "Perfect! I'll take this and study it tonight. Tomorrow, we should find a place for this," she motioned between them, "to happen, since I figure you don't want to ruin your reputation."

"My basement should suffice," Regina stated nonchalantly. "I'll set it up tomorrow afternoon so that it's ready when you arrive after work."

"Sounds great!" Ruby agreed, standing. Pausing, Ruby fixed a serious look to the shorter woman. "Regina, I have no intention of breaking your trust with this. If something is happening that makes you uncomfortable, please don't hesitate to tell me. I know that this took a huge leap on your part and I'll try my best to honor it."

"That's why I chose you, Ruby," Regina told her with a small smile. Ruby saw a waver in her lips and knew that this was getting too emotional for what Regina was ready for. "Thank you for doing this."

"It's no problem," Ruby chirped. "I'll see you tomorrow." The pair strode to the front door, but Ruby stopped Regina from opening it. There were scents outside of the door...

Eyes narrowed furiously, Ruby wrenched the door open and glared at the group waiting there. Emma, David, Snow, Granny, Marco, Leroy and Archie were all pacing around the front lawn, Granny standing closest to the house and watching it worriedly. All heads whipped in their direction at the door opening and both Snow and Emma breathed out in relief. Ruby, on the other hand, was livid.

" _What the hell is this?_ " she demanded, pinning them all in her gaze. Everyone shifted uncomfortably and Emma slowly stepped forward.

"Ruby, please don't be angry-."

"Too late," the werewolf snarled. "Why are you all standing out here?"

David cleared his throat and walked up with that swagger that Ruby had always hated. "Granny called Emma and told her that she was worried about you," he explained. "She'd heard Regina invite you over alone and didn't want anything bad happening to you."

" _Like what?_ " Ruby snapped as her eyes flashed yellow. "It was an innocent invitation! _What_ could Regina have possibly planned for me outside of dinner and a one night stand?"

Snow, Leroy, and David shared a look. "I didn't hear sex…" Leroy grumbled.

"And you're not going to," Regina stated, sparks flying from her fingertips. It was clear that she was only holding back for Ruby's sake. "Because you will never step _foot_ on my property without authorization from myself ever again."

"Technically, as sheriff-," Emma began, only to be cut off by actual fire igniting on one of Regina's hands.

"As sheriff, you should have your license revoked for aiding _trespassers,_ " Regina spat. "Ruby is still in one piece and unharmed, so you're all free to scatter like the flies you are and leave me to my peace."

David puffed his chest out, taking offense to being spoken of that way. "Hey! We were watching out for a friend!" he argued, eyes fiery. "You could have her under a spell for all we know!"

"Put your chest down before someone mistakes you for a preening peacock, _shepherd_ ," Regina sneered at him mockingly. "I asked Ruby here for private business that includes none of you."

"She's _my_ granddaughter," Granny huffed.

"Your _adult_ and _very pissed-off_ granddaughter," Ruby retorted. "Regina's right, Granny. This was _private_. Everyone's jumping to conclusions could have waited until I had returned home tonight or tomorrow _if_ I didn't show up to work. This was uncalled for."

"We're not jumping to conclusions, Ruby," Snow attempted. "We were just-,"

"Coming to make sure the woman who had her son taken away from her and is now all alone while trying to redeem herself in the eyes of the people she'd wronged wasn't trying to put a curse on someone else rather than, I don't know, seeking comfort and company so she didn't have to be lonely?" Ruby stared into her friend's eyes levelly. Usually, she would let go anything the 'good' people did, knowing her arguments would be ignored, but not this. What Regina had shared with her was deeply personal and if any of them knew so much as a sliver of what was going on, she would hunt them herself.

None of them had an argument for that, but Leroy threw out a comment anyway. "Not our fault her own son left her."

Ruby about transformed right then, turning in time to catch the pained expression on Regina's face before her mask was in place again. Taking deep breaths through her nose, Ruby turned to Regina. "Thank you for dinner. I had a great time tonight. I'll be back tomorrow to talk more about the situation, but until then…" She cast a glare in Leroy's direction. "Until then, try not to set anyone on fire?"

"I make _no_ promises at this moment," Regina grumbled. "Thank you for listening, Ruby. I'll have it ready by tomorrow evening."

Sharing a nod, the two women parted. Regina made her way back inside while Ruby stalked from the porch, glaring at her friends. As they all made their way to their cars, the younger of the two werewolves paused to slam her fist into Leroy's nose. There was the crunching of cartilage, but Ruby paid no mind to that as she tossed him into the back of the sheriff's car and slipped into the backseat of Marco's station wagon.

Granny made no comment, having seen the hurt on Regina's face as well. While she did not regret coming to be sure the former mayor didn't want her granddaughter for a nefarious plan, she also knew that what Leroy had said was uncalled for. The ride to the B&B was silent and Marco bade both women a good night before heading off again.

Ruby merely nodded to him before striding into the inn. Granny followed behind and sighed, knowing Ruby was going to be upset for a while. "I didn't tell her to call in the brigade," she tried.

"That doesn't stop the fact that you were _there_ ," Ruby retorted, removing her jacket. "With _Archie_ , of all people. Regina's avoided him like the plague since the Cora fiasco."

Granny rolled her eyes and huffed, "I wanted to make sure you were safe, but you know how the Charmings are when it comes to Regina. You ask for one and they bring the whole family. I came along when I realized what would happen."

Ruby exhaled and asked, "Did you… hear any of what went on?"

"I didn't tell a soul about the conversation," Granny responded calmly, knowing Ruby would want the truth. "That's between you and her. Just be careful."

"Is it really that hard to give her a real chance?" the younger wolf asked softly.

Granny grunted and sighed. "For your sake… I won't reach for my crossbow whenever she's around."

Ruby grinned. "Thanks, Granny."

The old woman's eyes twinkled at her granddaughter's happiness. "Get to bed, you've got a full day shift tomorrow and you need your strength."


	3. The Intervention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby checks over Regina's boundaries while her friends decide to stage an intervention on her behalf. Granny strips the Charmings down for their behavior while Ruby sprints her way to Mifflin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second section is mostly just Granny going off at the Charmings for their behavior, so feel free to skip that. It came down heavier than I expected it to.

The next day, Ruby found herself watching the clock throughout her shift. She hadn’t been this excited for something to happen since Regina and Gold figured out how to bring Emma and Snow back home. Storybrooke wasn’t really that exciting, before or after the curse broke, so having something to actually look forward to was pretty awesome, in Ruby’s opinion.

Snow and Emma strolled into the diner in the early morning and slid into one of the back booths. They kept up some mindless chatter, but Ruby let their conversation fade into the background with everyone else’s. As she moved about her job, taking someone’s order at the counter, she pointedly ignored her friends. She wasn’t going to ignore them forever, probably not even the whole day if she was honest, but she would do it long enough to get her feelings across.

Ruby was just upset that they’d gone to such lengths without thinking of how it made them look or how it would make Regina feel. They were supposed to be giving her a chance to change, especially since they’d practically backed her into a corner during the Cora fiasco in the first place. It was Snow’s fault Regina had been out for her head again, so it should’ve been a chance for them to realize that Regina wasn’t the only one who needed to change. Instead, they’d done like they’d always done, jump to a conclusion and act on it without thought.

The day continued like usual. Leroy and David stopped in together around lunchtime. A snippet of their conversation filtered to Ruby and she surmised that Leroy must have been taking over Emma’s job as sheriff for the day. Ruby rolled her eyes at the information. The two of them were hotheaded enough, they would look for any reason to arrest someone. David had managed to keep his head on while Snow and Emma were gone, but since their return, he’d regressed back into being somewhat annoying. The last thing the town needed was either of them looking for a fight. Thankfully, once they grabbed their lunches, they shot Ruby a farewell and headed back out.

Marco also came by to speak with Granny for a little while. Ruby ignored him too since he did this every day. He was the only one that felt familiar, of the visitors they’d had today. Ruby slid orders over to some patrons as she tuned out the conversation. He didn’t stay long, he never did around lunch rush, but before leaving, he did cast a quick glance Ruby’s way before he disappeared.

Ruby resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She knew what they were doing. Emma and Snow staying in the diner, Leroy and David stopping by, Marco checking on her before leaving, it wasn’t that hard to figure out. They wanted to make sure she wasn’t displaying any abnormal behavior. She didn’t _mind_ them checking on her, but she wished they would trust her judgement for once. Or at least give Regina that chance they’ve been claiming they were giving her. Their actions proved that neither were currently the case. Honestly, Ruby was more disappointed than anything about how they were handling this.

During her lunch break, Ruby examined the notepad again. She’d spent a large portion of her night reading and rereading the things Regina was and wasn’t comfortable with. Whatever magic she’d used to write the boundaries, it was super thorough, which helped Ruby. She’d even categorized things she was tentative about trying, but not completely against. It was an extensive list, but Ruby couldn’t help her excitement only building while reading it.

Her wolf had been itching beneath her skin since she awoke. It was just as curious about this agreement as she was. Ruby hadn’t had a sense of power since running with her mother’s pack or attacking Royal Guards. Now, one of the most powerful people in town wanted to surrender to her. It was nothing short of exhilarating.

As the end of her shift drew near, Ruby practically vibrated with excited energy. She contemplated running all the way to the manor, wanting to expel some of the excess energy so that she didn’t seem overzealous when Regina opened the door. The wolf was roaming just under her skin, also eager to get this agreement officiated.

Granny had agreed to close tonight, so once her shift finished, Ruby grabbed up her bag without preamble. She practically skipped out into the main area of the diner, but stopped. Everyone from last night was gathered in front of the entrance, watching her. This time, the other six dwarves and some extra people had been called in as well. Growling softly, Ruby backed away, keeping them all in her sights.

“What’s going on?” she demanded, eyes flicking from one face to the next.

“Ruby,” Snow began. She had that _look_ on her face, the one that was trying to convey that she wanted to do the right thing but only made her come off as more condescending than usual. “It’s only a precaution, honest. We just wanted to make sure you’re, you know, okay.”

Ruby glared at them all furiously, her teeth gritting together as she held the wolf back. She knew she could easily outrun them all, but that would only add more suspicion on Regina. Fighting them was out of the question because they probably assume she’d never do that in her right mind. And they refused to listen to a word she said, so it’s not like she could talk them down. Clenching her fists, Ruby nodded curtly and indicated for them to get on with it. The sooner they did whatever the hell they were going to do, the sooner she could head for Mifflin.

Blue stepped out of the group and held up a hand. Ruby shut her eyes as pixie dust was blown over her. She glowed faintly before the light died down and she blinked up at Blue. Blue, for her part, frowned. No doubt, she’d been hoping there was some magic on Ruby to persecute Regina with. Ruby kept her fist where it was for now.

Turning to the others, Blue said, “She’s not under a spell. She’s acting of her own free will. Though, from the faint pulsing, there seems to be residual magic on something she has with her.”

Ruby’s hand almost immediately went to her bag. She knew the ‘residual magic’ was Regina’s notepad. She would never forgive herself if she allowed them to get ahold of it. The movement caught the eyes of the others and they all eyed her bag suspiciously.

“Ruby?” Snow asked slowly, Emma’s hand going instinctively to her gun. “Ruby, please let us see.”

“Not on your life,” Ruby responded calmly as she began backing away again. She didn’t know if they were stupid enough to rush her, but she wasn’t taking the chance.

“We just want to make sure it’s not cursed,” David told her. He held his hands up to show peace, but Ruby wasn’t buying it for a second.

“ _You’re_ looking for a reason to imprison her,” she spat at him. “ _This_ isn’t it. I _watched_ her put the magic on it, so I _know_ it’s not cursed. If that’s all you wanted, I think I’ll go now.”

“To Regina?” Emma’s eyebrows pulled together, but her voice held that same offended tone her mother got whenever Snow wanted her way.

Ruby’s eyes snapped to her and flashed yellow momentarily. “What is it to you if I am?” she snarled. “It’s none of your business. So cut whatever this is out before someone actually gets hurt.”

They all shifted uncomfortably at that and wouldn’t look her in the eye. Ruby shook her head. Of course. With a sigh, she kept her distance, still not believing they didn’t have some other trick up their sleeves. This had already taken far longer than necessary. Regina was expecting her and, with the vulnerable position she was in, there was the likelihood she thought Ruby wasn’t even coming. Keeping everyone in sight, Ruby vaulted the counter and hurried out the back door before any of them could do more than call her name.

Now, for that run to Mifflin.

_**…** _

Emma groaned as the back door slammed shut. “Well, that went fantastically,” she grumbled.

“I wish she would understand that we’re just trying to look out for her,” Snow sighed. “Regina has hardly left her house since her mother died. After that fiasco, there’s no way to guarantee she can be trusted.”

“Of course she can’t,” David huffed matter-of-factly. “All this talk about change is only a ruse to let her back in. We have her chance after chance and she’s ruined all of them. We gave her a chance here and she joined forces with her mother. She doesn’t deserve our trust.”

Granny had finally had enough of this. She was _not_ in the mood to deal with this headache. “The same could be said for _you_ ,” she stated, her eyes directed solely on David.

All heads turned to her, but she was too old and had lived too long to be pressured into being quiet. She’d weathered worse than some morons all looking at her to back down. It was _her_ granddaughter on the line and, unlike everyone else in the room, she knew exactly what was going on.

“Granny, what do you mean?” Snow inquired. A sinking feeling started in her stomach. Granny was known for speaking bluntly and for speaking the truth. If her ire had been turned on them, then this was not about to be pretty.

“Apart from the obvious, you mean?” Granny huffed. This was about to be a long spelling out, but if it beat a little sense into them, then she’d deal with it. “Aside from the fact that someone who said they wanted nothing to do with her son just swooped in and took him from her without a second thought,” Emma shifted her feet uncomfortably and looked off to the side, “there’s _this,_ right here. The condescending attitude from both the prince and the princess here, the open mistrust from the so-called savior, not to mention the rally to get together and persecute someone who has, most likely, done nothing but mope and sulk around her home since _you all_ unfairly accused her of murder.”

Now it was more than just Emma who looked uncomfortable. They _all_ knew that Regina was cunning, smart, and anything _but_ sloppy. They’d jumped on the chance to persecute her for Archie’s murder and it was only thanks to Pongo that they even realized the truth. By that point, Regina had already been forced into the corner…

“You all talk about being good, but you show absolutely _no_ signs of the morals you keep spouting about. Trust and love and all that riffraff.” Granny shook her head. “What’s the point in talking about it when you don’t even believe it applies to everyone? That it _can_ apply to everyone?”

“Because Regina is _evil!_ ” David snapped. Surprisingly, it was Leroy who stepped protectively in front of Granny. He made no move to say anything, but he nodded to Granny to allow her to speak.

“Now you listen to me.” Granny glared directly at David as she spoke. “Not all of us had the luxury of sleeping through the whole curse. _Some_ of us had a business to run and, in doing so, got to see what happened in this town every single day. Do you wanna know what I saw?” The group swallowed thickly as Granny pressed on. “I saw people going about their lives, neither happy nor unhappy, but human. I watched our former mayor come in earlier than any of you and grab a coffee before heading off to work. She busted her behind to keep this town running and gave it her everything for eighteen years.

“And then, Henry came into her life. I watched her struggle to be a mother for the first few months. I listened to her, the _former_ Evil Queen, sing lullabies to a six-month-old, and watched her rock him to sleep. I watched her hold him as if he were made of glass because she couldn’t believe this amazing little bundle was part of _her_ life.” Granny pinned them all in her gaze now. “Say what you want about _the Evil Queen_ , but _Regina the mayor_ didn’t do a damn thing to us until the savior entered town and took her baby from her. And as someone who’s lost her own child, I’d say some of her reactions were _warranted_.”

“But that doesn’t excuse everything she’s done-!” David tried, only to be cut off by another sharp glare.

Granny refused to stop until they saw some small shred of reason, _something_ to get them to realize how out of proportion they kept blowing things. “Yet all of _your_ actions in the Forest are forgiven?” she demanded. She had to make them understand, even just _a little._ “Because you married a _princess?_ A princess, by the way, who preaches about goodness and kindness and _love_ , but used the very concept of love against someone she had already made vulnerable. Your wife over there decides to manipulate a cornered woman into killing her own mother and that’s okay?”

“Cora was going to become the Dark One!” Snow exclaimed despite the guilt covering her expression. She didn’t want to remember what she’d done. She did it for the good of the people, the good of Storybrooke. She _had_ to!

“Then you should have killed her _yourself!_ ” Leroy finally spoke up. It was unexpected for him to take Granny’s side, but he wasn’t stupid. Hotheaded and a little prejudiced, but not stupid. “She coulda killed _all of us_ because of what you did. I’m not sayin’ Regina’s in the right or anything like that, but…”

He glanced at Granny and gave a grudging huff. “The diner lady’s got a point, a lot of’em. We did some pretty shitty stuff in the Forest, but we all found ways to justify it. Justify it so we didn’t seem so bad. Maybe… I can’t believe I’m gonna say this, but _maybe_ the Evil Witch did the same thing about what _she_ was doin’. I doubt she had someone always talkin’ about goodness and love like we had Snow. I doubt Fire Hands would’ve even believed’em if she did have someone like that.”

Leroy gave a heavy sigh. He couldn’t _believe_ he was defending the Evil Queen, but Granny really _did_ make sense. He hated it, but he couldn’t argue with it either. “Look, if what Granny said was true, and she took care of the kid like he was the only thing that mattered… then she couldn’t have been that bad to us in this realm, no matter what she did back home.”

The other dwarves gave heavy sighs or small groans. Reluctantly, they moved to stand beside their brother. “We gotta follow our own rules,” Doc said quietly, staring at the floor. “We wanted to free the land, so we did some really _not good_ stuff to reach that goal. Regina wanted to be feared. In my experience, wanting to come off as intimidating only hides the weakness of someone’s own fear and insecurity.” Panic flashed across his face for a second. “Please don’t tell Regina I said that.”

Granny nodded to them all. At least _someone_ in the building had some sense. Looking over to the Charmings, she found Emma and Snow at least contemplating what had been said. David seemed a bit sour at the moment, but maybe it would get through to him, too. “I’m not saying to accept her right away,” she told them, her voice softer now that the meat of the speech was done. “But you can’t actually give someone a chance if you’re not willing to let go of a grudge, either. Regina joined her mother because no one in this town believed in her. If you’re serious about giving her a chance, a _real_ chance, give her a smile for once, like you do everyone else. A cheerful ‘good morning’ or just a wave. Ruby didn’t learn to walk in a day. She took baby steps. You should, too.”

Glancing over to the clock, Granny shook her head. “Now all of you, out. I have to lock up and hope Ruby comes home tonight. Last thing I need to do is envision my granddaughter with the mayor.”

“The very _attractive_ mayor,” one of the dwarves snickered, receiving a rap on the back of the head from Granny before they all filed out.

Once they were gone, Granny took a deep breath. She was getting too old for this. If that didn’t get through to Snow and her family, then nothing would. Only thing she could do now was wait and see.

_**...**  
_

Regina sighed as she flipped through one of her spell books. It seemed that Ruby had changed her mind. Even worse, she had the notepad with all of Regina’s ‘boundaries’ on it, so there was no telling what she was doing with it. Lip curling, Regina could just imagine the wolf laughing about some of her fears and weaknesses with the rest of the Charming clan, mocking her.

Anger churned in her stomach. Anger was easier to accept than the sadness of having her trust broken _again_. Of course she couldn’t trust anyone in this pathetic town. All any of these people would ever see of her is the Evil Queen. Revealing weakness to those who hated you was downright moronic. Regina fought the urge to set something on fire to release some of her aggravation. It was a struggle, sparks occasionally flickering on her fingertips.

Just as she was contemplating opening the liquor cabinet to drown her sorrows, there came a knock at her door. Raising an eyebrow, Regina set down her spell book and stood, making her way to the front entrance. She swung the door open to find a breathless Ruby on her porch. She looked like she’d just run a marathon, which was odd since the run shouldn’t have taken her very much time or effort with her supernatural abilities.

“You came,” Regina stated in surprise, not realizing she’d confirmed Ruby’s fears.

“Mishap at the diner…” Ruby gasped. “Friends… intervention… bunch of idiots…”

Regina’s lips tugged into a smirk at the choice of words. “Come in and catch your breath,” she said with a soft chuckle. “Then you can tell me about how your bunch of idiot friends set up an intervention.”

Ruby nodded and straightened up, taking deep breaths as she followed Regina to the living room. Plopping on the couch, Ruby pulled the notepad from her bag and set it on her lap. She took a few more moments to catch her breath while Regina waited patiently, an amused expression on her face.

Once she could breathe without feeling like she was going to pass out, Ruby took in a deep breath. “I’d just finished my shift and was going to run here, right? But when I stepped out to the main area, everyone from yesterday was standing there waiting for me. They were blocking the door, so getting past them would’ve been a chore. Snow was in the front, obviously, telling me it was just a precaution or something.”

Regina gave a soft snort. “She can be really condescending when she doesn’t mean to be.” Ruby shot her a look and Regina shook her head. As she stood to pour them some wine, she explained, “I’m condescending all the time _on purpose_. It’s certainly healthier than not knowing when it’s happening.”

Ruby hummed as she accepted her wine. “Well, Blue steps out and throws some pixie dust on me, you know? I glow for a sec, and then it’s gone, so everything seems fine. Then these morons try to see what in my bag has some ‘residual magic’ on it!” Guilt flashed across Regina’s features and Ruby hurried to reassure her. “It’s not your fault! I’m glad you used magic; it’s a very extensive list and it’ll help me better understand your needs.”

She leaned her head back. “Still gave them no right to try. I was almost certain they’d try to gang up on me to get it. I bolted out the back as soon as I got a chance.”

Regina sipped her wine contemplatively. “I seem to have a knack for turning people against each other, I’m afraid,” she finally stated.

“Yeah, well, it’ll happen when your friends don’t trust your judgment.” Ruby shrugged off the somber mood and took a generous gulp of her wine. “Whoa, this one’s _really_ good.”

Regina couldn’t help a chuckle at that and Ruby was happy to hear genuine mirth in her voice. “I’m glad my alcohol selection pleases you.”

Ruby shot her a grin and a wink, saying, “There are plenty of things about you that please me, Regina.” Ruby about cheered at the surprised expression and slight flush she received for the comment.

Clearing her throat, Regina set down her glass and placed her hands in her lap. “So, ah, you’ve looked over the terms then, I take it?” It was a smooth enough transition.

“Yes,” Ruby responded. “I’ve gotten a good enough idea how to do things with you.”

“Wonderful.” Regina stood and brushed imaginary wrinkles from her skirt. “Would you like to see the room?”

Ruby couldn’t help the downright wolfish grin that slid onto her lips as she stood too. “Let’s go see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't judge me for whatever comes next. Not that I expect you to.


End file.
